We'll All Float On: The Domestic Adventures of Jacky Faber
by Faerie in Combat Boots
Summary: The life and adventures of Jacky Faber after the end of Wild Rover No More. Jacky learns how to be a wife and mother, while trying to stay true to her nature. Can she balance the duties of home and hearth with her duties to Faber Shipping? Will she stay out of trouble? Spoilers for Wild Rover No More, Rated T for some mild sexuality, violence and language.
1. Prologue: Mr and Mrs Fletcher's Bed

Disclaimer: I do not own The Bloody Jack Series.

It is midnight, on November 14th, 1809. I am gazing upon the sleeping form of a one James Emerson Fletcher, my long time beloved, and husband of one day. _Husba__nd._ I whisper the word to myself, enjoying the sound of it on my tongue. _Mrs. Jaimy Fletcher. _I whisper that as well, and find that I have to suppress a delighted giggle. I can hardly believe this turn of events. Just two days ago, I was condemned to die, and now look at me. Warm in my conjugal bed, very much alive, and _ever so content._

Jaimy stirs, and when his bleary eyes fall upon me, a sensual smile spreads across his face. That look tells me one thing, and one thing only. Mr. Fletcher is ready for another romp with his Saucy Sailor Girl.

"Come to me, my wife" He growls, pulling me deep into his embrace.

"Come kiss me, if you love me"

And I do. _Oh yes, I do._


	2. Haste To The Wedding

_Disclaimer: I still don't own Bloody Jack. Updates will be slow due to lack of wifi, and my own domestic adventures.  
_

* * *

It was a hasty wedding, to be sure. Amy had the entire thing arranged within a day, while Jaimy and I were busy consummating our union. Yes, we spent the entire day up in that hayloft, tangled together in a cycle of loving and dozing. We only separated ourselves to retrieve the baskets of of food and wine our friends left for us, or to relieve the call of nature. Well, there _was_ one other exception...

"_Come now __Jacky," Amy calls up. I poke my head through the hole __in the barn where we used to gaze and daydream on lazy summer days. There she is, hands on her hips, waiting for me._

"_It's time to be fitted for your wedding dress" She says._

"_Surely you can be parted from your Mr. Fletcher for but brief spell"_

_I give her my best foxy grin, __and __slip back th__r__ough the hole in the boards. __Jaimy is still asleep, bits of hay stuck in his dark hair. I kiss his brow, throw on my Kingston dress, and reluctantly leave our love nest. _

_There is a slight chill in the air as I walk up the path to the house. __It had been a warm and mild Autumn thus far, but now it seems that Mother Nature is at last catching up.__ I don't mind too much. I've been cold before._

_The moment I step over the threshold of Dovecote, I am accosted by a brown blur that flies towards me and then attaches itself, or rather, himself to my person. It is my son, Ravi., __c__ollected from school to attend my wedding. Soon he will be able to call Jaimy, "father", if he chooses to, and if Jaimy don't object._

"_Missy Memsahib...M__ommy__" He cries, nestling against __me._

"_I am so pleased to see you are not dead. So happy not to lose you and be all alone again"_

_Oh, my boy. I had been so busy, first trying to save my own skin, and later pressing that skin against Jaimy that I had forgotten my __adopted son. __So, I clutch him to me, and plant kisses all over his dear head. __Amy finds us, and reminds me of why I came into the house in the first place._

"_You'll have plenty of time for tearful reunions, later" she says, briskly._

"_Right now we have a wedding to plan. Ravi, find Higgins and see if you can be of some assistance,"_

_She shoos him off before he can say anything else, and drags me upstairs to her room..._

A day later, Jaimy and I stood hand clasped before Reverend Sturgis. My dress was of Amy's design, as she would not allow me to be wed in my Kingston Dress. White silk, with a rather high neck (compared to some other things I have worn, it came up to my collar bones, and covered my chest completely) and sleeves that puffed at the shoulder, then tapered down to the wrist. The skirt was gathered and full in the back, but smooth and flat in the front. A trim of lace, and blue ribbon graced the neck and wrists. Higgins had somehow retrieved my mother's blue hair ribbon, the one given to me by my grandfather on my original intended wedding day back in '06. Before Intelligence carted me off, and sent me to commit government-sanctioned theft by salvaging treasure from the _Santa Magdalena_. _Funny, I thought I had lost that._

It was a brief ceremony, but there were more than enough guests to make up for it. I will never know how she did it, but Amy managed to get just about everyone I had ever met into her house to attend my wedding. They were all there, Liam, The Brotherhood, Mistress Pimm, my classmates from the Lawson Peabody...everyone. Little Rebbecca Adams (who is growing into quite a lady) even managed to persuade her grandfather, former president John Adams to attend. A president! At my wedding! Little Mary from Cheapside, with John Adams himself attending her wedding! _A cat may look at a king..._

Then came the feast and reception. Every single goose and turkey had been killed and roasted, and ale, cider and wine flowed freely. When I asked Amy if her parents wouldn't mind the emptying of Dovecote's wine stores, she merely smiled (rather wickedly) and shrugged. Also on the table was a massive wedding cake, which took forty eggs to prepare.

Afterwards, the celebration was moved to the ballroom (where I had disgraced myself so long ago). There, Jaimy and I danced together before our cheering guests, and it occurred to me that it was the first time we had ever danced together. We had known and loved each other for so long, but had never had the opportunity or time to join in dance. He lacked the grace and skill of my Irishmen (I could hear Arthur McBride laughing at "The clumsy English Bastard"), but my love more than made up for it in the way he gazed at me as we moved. He was recalling our time in the hayloft, and wishing we could be back there right at the moment, propriety be damned.

And soon enough, we got our wish. We let the rest of our wedding party and guests make merry long into the night, while we retired back to our Nuptial Hayloft.

Which is where you find us now, in the Hayloft, where my old adventures ended, and a new one has begun. We are waiting for the dawn, and then we will set sail on the _Nancy __B, _laying low until my name can be cleared. Where we will go, and what we will do, I do not know. And it does not matter. The only thing that matters, is that we are at last together, there are no edges on the map, and anything is possible.


	3. A Honeymoon Cruise

_Don't own Bloody Jack. But I do have salt and pepper shakers shaped like squirrels._

* * *

We've been at sea for a week now, just us, and a small crew. John Thomas and Smasher McGee, Davy, and Jim Tanner. Jemimah Moses has come along, to cook for us on our honeymoon cruise. Higgins also decided to join us, presumably to keep us, mostly me, out of trouble. At first, Jaimy protested, claiming that, as my husband he was perfectly capable of taking care of me by himself. Higgins merely smiled at that. I hate to admit this, but he knows me better than Jaimy does. He knows my moods, and my tastes. He can better predict what kind of mess I'll get myself in. And no one else washes my hair like he does. Besides, it's my ship, and I'll have whoever I want on it. After pointing that out to Jaimy, he relented, and here we all are, sailing to Cuba. We intend visiting Tink and his wife, and perhaps I'll do one last show at Ric's Cafe Americano. Then, when we get the letter from Ezra informing us that it's safe, we'll return to Boston, and build our little cottage on the patch of land Amy gave us. I never expected a gift like that...

"_Sister, you can't be serious," I say, as she hands Jaimy and I the deed, with our names on it. _

"_Oh yes I am" Amy says firmly._

"_I have no use for it. Besides, you'll need a home to go to between voyages."_

"_I've got my rooms above The Pig and Whistle..." I protest._

"_What more do we need?"_

_Amy gives a soft, lady-like snort, and rolls her eyes. _

"_Oh, there's space enough for you and Jaimy, but what will you do when the babies come?"_

_I hadn't thought of that. The way Jaimy and I have been, and will be going at it, it's inevitable. _

"_Just think, Jacky," Jaimy finally says, taking my hand._

"_We will be able to build our cottage. We'll finally have our rose covered cottage."_

_Our cottage. A little place all our own. I throw my arms around Amy._

"_Thank you, Sister," I whisper._

That had been right before we left. It was the only wedding gift we received, due to the unexpected nature of our wedding. Most of our guests assumed they would be attending my funeral. Some were even clad in mourning. Imagine their surprise when they saw me alive, well and clad in a wedding gown instead of a burial shroud! Tears of grief quickly turned to tears of joy.

As we sail towards warmer waters, it occurs to me that Jaimy and I haven't spent this much time together since we were on the Dolphin. When we are not doing our duties, we steal away to the mizzen-top, where we talk and talk, just like old times. We are getting to know each other again, telling each other of our adventures. We plan for the future. I suggest he leave the Navy, and work with me in Faber Shipping. He's not sure about that, considering how much he's advanced in his career, but he agrees that he'd rather be by my side, than have to fight in any more wars, or do anymore dirty work for King and Country.

"Oh love," I sigh.

"You just want to keep on eye on me, and make sure there are no more rivals for my affections. No more Randalls, or Richard Allens or Robin Raeburnes."

Jaimy frowns. Impishly, I continue.

"Or Joseph Jareds, Flacos or Jean-Paul Valdons, no more Amadeo Romeros, or Marcello Grimaldis..."

"Marcello Grimaldi? Who's this?" He asks, lifting his head from my lap, and looking confused, and jealous.

I tell him of my ardent suitor during my time in the circus, and how well I resisted his advances. There was flirting to be sure, as I have always been a bit of a coquette. But otherwise, I had been good. I only kissed him once, after all.

The truth out, Jaimy seems relieved, and puts his head back into my lap. Neither of us have been entirely true to each other since our initial parting, but what's done is done. It is the past. Our future is a blank page, and we can put whatever we want on it. We vow to be loyal to each other for good and ever.

That night is like any other night on our honeymoon voyage. We come together in my...no, our bed, and make up for all the lost time. Joined together, we learn about the giving and taking of pleasure. I find that likes me to nibble his earlobe just so, and as for what I like...well, never mind that.

Our passion for each other has become a bit of a running joke on the ship. The crew ribs Jaimy, which he takes with good humor, and Jemima gives me knowing winks, and asks me when the babies are gonna start coming.

"The babies will come when the Good Lord decides to bless us with them," I sniff.

Jemima casts an eye on my belly and replies:

"I'm thinkin' the Good Lord gonna be blessing you soon, the way you and yo' man been goin' at it. Never known a couple more wild about each other than you two,"

I cannot help but giggle at that, thinking about just how wild we get, especially when I dress up in my lieutenant's uniform, and we...

I am shaken out of my daydreaming by Jim Tanner calling for me excitedly.

"Missy! I think you should see this!"

I run out onto to deck, the whole crew joining me. There, coming towards us, a ship! I whip out my long glass, to get a closer look and..._oh my god._

The ship's colors snap proudly in the wind. A red-horned skull, on a black background, poised over two crossed cannons...it is _El Diablo Rojo. _And that can mean only one thing:

_Flaco Jiminez!_


	4. An Old Friend, and Four Bottles of Wine

_Disclaimer: I still don't own Bloody Jack._

* * *

"My god!" I cry, staring at the ship sailing towards us.

"It's _El Diablo Rojo_! It's Flaco's ship! Quick! Someone haul up the Jolly Roger, let him know it's us!"

My crew is bustling about, hoisting colors, making ready. Higgins has slipped below decks, to make preparations for a meeting with Flaco. Only Jaimy is idle, still as a statue, and looking like he's just swallowed something unpleasant.

"Aw luv, don't you worry about Flaco," I soothe, unfurling his clenched fist.

"I'm your wife now, ain't I? Didn't I promise myself to you, and you only?"

His stony expression begins to soften, and he draws me into his arms for a kiss and a pet. _Oh Jaimy..._

In no time at all, Flaco Jimenez is strutting across my deck, resplendent in his silks and bells. He wastes no time at all; he strides towards me, grabs me by the waist and plants a firm kiss upon my mouth. I do not melt into his embrace as I would have done before. _I am a married woman._

I rip myself out of his embrace, and slap him hard across one handsome cheek. He seems genuinely surprised, and slightly hurt. I put on The Look.

"That was for taking up with Clarissa! You Dog! _Perro_!" I snarl. Flaco gives a shrug, and a forgiving smile. Of course I'd be outraged over that. And I still am. But I can seethe over that later...

Before he can say anything, or try to kiss me again, I slap his other cheek, harder than the last strike. His smile is gone, and now he looks confused, and angry.

"And that is for kissing a married woman" I say, stiffly. I show him my left hand, where my golden hoop glimmers on my finger, along with a small and lovely emerald and pearl ring. Jaimy surprised me with it when we stopped to resupply in Charleston. A belated engagement ring, he said, a proper engagement ring, for a proper lady.

Flaco stares dumbstruck at my glittering hand, and then looks around at all my men on deck, wondering which one is the lucky bastard who snatched up his little Jalapeno. Jaimy steps forward, and bows stiffly to my former paramour.

"Captain Flaco Jimenez, this is my husband, Lieutenant James Fletcher." I gesture towards Jaimy. Flaco bows in return and addresses him:

"I wish you all the best, Lieuenant Fletcher. You are the luckiest man in the world to have a wife such as this _chiquita. _Take care of her _amigo, _as she deserves the very best,"

Jaimy nods, and thanks him for his best wishes. Then Flaco adds:

"Had I known she was your bride, I would not have greeted her so. _Lo_ _siento_, forgive me."

Another nod from Jaimy, and I lead Flaco, to my cabin for some wine, and talk. Later, if they decide to stay long enough, Jemima will put on a fine supper.

Once seated, and once Higgins has served some of our best wine, we catch each other up on the past three years. I tell Flaco of my adventures in the East, and show him, my Golden Dragon.

You met Cheng Shih herself!" He gasps.

"She is a legend among every pirate, and you met her!"

"And shared her bed," I wink.

" I was her beloved 'Round-eyed Barbarian"

He chuckles lasciviously at that, no doubt imagining Cheng Shih and I in that bed, doing whatever filthy things men like about women doing together. _Men, I swear..._

Next, I tell him about my time with Chopstick Charlie and Sidrah, and my escapades in London society. He especially enjoys my retelling of the plot against Flashby. From there, I tell him about my time in Spain, working in Goya's studio, posing for _La_ _Maja, _escaping The Inquisition and traveling with gypsies. He likes these adventures the best, and laments not being able to see a copy of the painting.

"There's an excellent copy of it in The House of the Rising Sun. Stolen by Clarissa," I tell him. In fact, I intend to swing by New Orleans and reclaim my property, once I get a chance. She may have helped save my ass, but she had no business stealing my painting, my money and my friends. _Or Richard for that matter..._

Finally, I tell him of my troubles in Boston, (though not all of them, I choose not to discuss Jaimy's betrayal of me with Jaimy sitting right beside me), my run from the law, including posing as a governess and joining the circus. And I finish with the story of my staged death, the very real death of Flashby, and my wedding. By the time I have finished catching him up on two or three years worth of adventures, we have gone through four bottles of wine, and are all quite tipsy.

"What about you, Flaco? What have you been up to since I last gazed upon you?" I slur, resting my head against Jaimy's shoulder. Our best wine, is apparently our strongest wine. Perhaps I should have stopped five glasses ago. Or Jaimy should have stopped me, he's my husband ain't he? I look over at my love. He's drunk just as much wine as me, perhaps more. I know he did it so he could bear some of the more...difficult parts of my story. Parts that had caused him heartache. Parts he'd rather forget.

"Nothing so exciting as you, _querida_," Flaco replies, looking wistfully into the bottom of his glass.

"We sail, we plunder...you know how it goes,"

I nod. I'm curious about his time with Clarissa, but I hold my tongue. I don't want to seem...jealous. '_You're Jaimy's wife now,' _I remind myself. _'That's what you wanted, that's what you've waited for. You vowed to forsake all others. No more Flacos, no more Robin Raeburnes, no more Jean-Paul Valdons, No more Amadeo Romeros, no more Marcellos, no more Randalls, no more Joseph Jareds, and definitely no more Richard Allens. And that one's mostly because Clarissa would rip your heart out and eat it before your very eyes. So be good.'_

"Will you sail alongside us to Cuba?" I ask. Busy mentally scolding myself, the room had fallen silent. Flaco was fetching himself more wine (Higgins having gone to discuss dinner with Jemima), and Jaimy was being too stubborn to talk to a rival.

"We're visiting our brother Tink and his wife. We're staying out of American waters until my name is cleared." I continue.

"As much as I would love sailing with my favorite _Chica Inglesa, _I must decline," He frowns, shaking his head so the bells in his hair and beard tinkle.

"My crew and I are headed to the Gulf of Mexico, searching for some rather legendary Aztec gold. They say it is cursed, but I do not believe it. But there are tales, of a crew that had been cursed by the gold. They sailed on...I cannot remember, The Black Diamond? No, that's not it. The Black _Something,"_

"The Black Something, how very threatening," Jaimy says dryly. Flaco laughs, and stands up.

"It is time I bid you my farewell," He announces, but I stand up and insist he stay to dinner. After all, who can resist Jemima's cooking? She could make a dead man hungry. He recalls her gumbos, and roasts, and the finest, fluffiest biscuits you could ever want. He changes his mind.

After a fine supper, I play a few songs on my guitar, much to Flaco's pleasure. I sing him the songs I learned in Spain, from the Gypsy Maestro, Django. Then, when one of his crewman wields the guitar, I dance a _flamenco_, that I had also learned from my time in Madrid. Flaco applauds and sings my praises, while Jaimy scowls. Oh, Jaimy. In all the time he has known me, he should be aware of how much I like to show off, right?

And then it is time for Captain Flaco Jimenez to take his leave. With a flamboyant bow, and chivalrous kiss to the back of my hand, he bids me farewell.

"_Vaya_ _con_ _dios_, Jacky. I wish you and your man joy, and many beautiful children," he says fervently. He bows to Jaimy, and thanks us all for our hospitality.

"Farewell, Flaco" I say, smiling.

"I hope you find your gold, and I hope it is not cursed,"

And soon the _Nancy_ _B_. _Alsop_ and _El_ _Diablo_ _Rojo_ part ways. We sailing one direction, and they another. I watch them go until they slipped past the horizon, wondering if I'll ever see my old friend again. It seems like just yesterday, that I was curled up in his lap, feeling the tickle of his moustache as he kissed me. I was captain of my _Emerald_ then, free as a bird, and answering to no one. I give a sigh. That was then, and this is now. I turn, and go to find my husband.

That night, Jaimy is in no mood for his Saucy Sailor Girl. Claiming a headache, he rolls onto his side facing away from me. It's obvious he's upset with me though. He's been acting distant and cold since Flaco left. No, since Flaco stepped onto the ship. What did I do now? When Flaco kissed me, I rebuffed him. I did not flirt, nor did I encourage flirting. I treated Flaco like an old friend, no more and no less. I don't have time for this, I'm on Watch tonight...

Around ten, Higgins brings me some coffee, the good stuff, laced with cream and sugar. Sensing my troubled mood, he asks me if I am alright. I look up at him, seeing nothing but concern. Sometimes, I am certain that Higgins is the only person in the world who gives a damn about me. I take a sip of the rich, hot coffee and tell him about Jaimy.

"What did I do wrong? Everything was going so well, and now he's not talking to me," I frown.

"Miss, I don't think you did anything wrong." Higgins says, taking my empty cup from me.

"You were your usual charming self, though you refrained from some of your more...flirtatious behavior. But I think your Mr. Fletcher is still unsure, and insecure in regards to your loyalty and faith. I think he's afraid of losing you to a former rival, even if you're his wife now,"

That makes sense. That makes perfect sense. We've almost lost each other quite a few times. War, romantic rivals, accidents, bad luck and Jaimy's Mother have all tried to tear us apart. I shouldn't be surprised that he might still be scared of losing me. Even I wonder is this is all some sweet dream I'm going to wake up from. Sometimes I even have nightmares about that, waking up and finding myself back in the jail cell in Plymouth, preparing for my execution. No rescue in sight, no hope, only despair. I wake up from those dreams, and I have to roll and make sure Jaimy is beside me, that this is all real. And if Clementine, or Sidrah, or Mai Ling and Mai Jing were to suddenly appear and start making eyes at him, I can't say I wouldn't be in a sour mood.

"What should I do, Higgins?" I ask.

"How can I reassure him?"

"Just give it time," Higgins says, taking my empty coffee cup from me.

"Give it some time. Or, we could strand the two of you an on island for a week, and have you work it out that way,"

I look up at my dear old friend, and see a cunning and mischievous glint in his eyes. Higgins may be the very model of a gentleman, and an excellent steward, but he does have a wicked streak in him. One I like to think I've brought out. Perhaps that is a good idea, Jaimy and I spending a week alone on an island. No interruptions, nothing for us to do but be together. But somehow, I think even that would be ruined for us. A typhoon could strike, or British Intelligence might drop by. I shake my head, imagining the unlikeliness of such an event, and resolve to remind Jaimy that I chose him above all others.

When my watch is over, and Jim Tanner takes over for me, I return to my cabin. From outside the door, I hear tortured sobbing and thrashing. _What_ _on_ _Earth_... I open the door, and find my husband in the throes of a nightmare, crying out for me.

"_Jacky...Jacky please don't go...please, Jacky no!"_


End file.
